It is common practice for retailers to store and/or display relatively expensive items of merchandise that are subject to theft on or within a merchandise fixture, such as a security display (e.g. alarm stand), security fixture (e.g. display hook, cabinet, shelf, etc.) or security packaging. In most instances, the merchandise fixture openly displays the merchandise so that a potential purchaser may view, and in some instances, operate the merchandise before making a purchase. At the same time, the merchandise is secured by a merchandise security device so as to prevent, or at least deter, theft of the merchandise. The value of the merchandise, however, may nevertheless make the merchandise an attractive target for a shoplifter despite the presence of the merchandise security device. Thus, a determined shoplifter may still attempt to detach or remove the merchandise from the merchandise security device.
In the case of a security fixture, and in particular a merchandise display cabinet, the merchandise security device is oftentimes closed or locked with a lock to prevent merchandise from being removed from the cabinet without the assistance of an authorized person, such as a sales associate. In most instances, the lock includes a conventional tumbler or spring-biased lock mechanism operated by a non-programmable, manually operated mechanical or magnetic key. In certain instances, however, the merchandise security device is secured by a lock including a lock mechanism that is operated by a merchandise security key in the form of a programmable electronic key. An example of a merchandise security device including a lock mechanism operated by a programmable electronic key is the programmable electronic cabinet lock and associated programmable electronic key available from InVue Security Products Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., USA. The programmable electronic cabinet lock and key available from InVue Security Products is shown and described in co-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 13/222,225 filed on Aug. 31, 2011, entitled ELECTRONIC KEY FOR MERCHANDISE SECURITY DEVICE, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The aforementioned cabinet lock presents a potential security concern for retailers in certain applications. More specifically, the cabinet lock must be completely separated from the conventional saw-tooth lock arm that is affixed to one of the cabinet doors in order to open the door and access the merchandise within the cabinet. As a result, the sales associate must hold the cabinet lock in one hand while removing the merchandise from the cabinet for the potential purchaser. The lock arm is typically disposed on the innermost door, and thus, is not available to replace the cabinet lock on the lock arm when the doors are overlapped to access the merchandise within the cabinet. If the sales associate temporarily places the cabinet lock behind or on a display counter, the lock may become lost or stolen while the sales associate's attention is focused on the potential sale. On the other hand, if the sales associate temporarily places the cabinet lock within a pocket of clothing, he or she may become distracted and neglect to replace the cabinet lock onto the cabinet.
Alternatively, the sales associate must close the cabinet doors and replace the cabinet lock on the lock arm immediately after retrieving the desired merchandise from within the cabinet. Replacing the cabinet lock each time merchandise is retrieved from the cabinet is both time consuming and distracting to the customer, especially when the customer desires to examine and evaluate multiple items of merchandise stored and secured within the same cabinet. In any event, separating the cabinet lock from the lock arm presents a potential security breach that must be addressed by the retailer. The merchandise security key for the cabinet lock likewise is typically separated from the cabinet lock after opening the cabinet. However, the key is oftentimes tethered to a conventional recoiler mechanism worn by the sales associate. Thus, when tethered to the sales associate, the merchandise security key for use with the cabinet lock does not present an additional security breach to be addressed by the retailer.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a merchandise security device for displaying and protecting items of merchandise from theft including a lock that can be unlocked using a merchandise security key to provide access to the merchandise without having to remove a portion of the lock from the security device. There exists a particular unresolved need for a merchandise security fixture, namely a merchandise display cabinet, including a cabinet lock that remains attached to the cabinet after being unlocked to access merchandise within the cabinet. There exists a more specific need for such a cabinet lock and a programmable electronic key that communicates data, for example a security code, with the cabinet lock and transfers electrical power from the key to the cabinet lock to unlock the cabinet.